Ring's goal: More starts in Fire net

His play may give Thornton a rest

Henry Ring hopes last week's successful U.S. Open Cup start leads to more time in the Fire net.

"It felt very good, very good," said Ring about his goalkeeping in a 4-1 victory over Milwaukee Wave United.

Ring said Fire coach Dave Sarachan had talked to him "about trying to get me more games, and the U.S. Open Cup is a huge motivation."

The start was the first since July 2002 for Ring, a backup to all-star goalie Zach Thornton. Continued strong Cup play could give Ring a chance to spell Thornton in Major League Soccer matches.

"He's ready to start, and with the busy month we have we've got to kind of keep an eye on Zach not only physically, but mentally too," Sarachan said. "There is a chance. He's done an excellent job in terms of his concentration, his competitiveness and his attitude day-to-day. He's really done a very good job keeping his level high."

But Thornton is not easy to displace. A fixture in the net since joining the Fire in the 1997 expansion draft, he's tied with midfielder Jesse Marsch for most career Fire starts with 150, and he has 40 shutouts. This season he has a 1.22 goals-against average and five shutouts in 16 starts.

And chances are Thornton will be back in the net Wednesday night as the Fire travels to Columbus to meet the last-place Crew (5-8-5, 20 points). The Fire (8-4-5, 29 points) is on a three-game unbeaten streak, which includes Saturday's 1-1 tie with the East co-leading MetroStars.

A rookie last year, the 6-foot-3-inch Ring has started in just one MLS match, a 5-4 win over Columbus. He also started in a 1-0 U.S. Open Cup loss to the Milwaukee Rampage last July.

Ring says he and Thornton get along well. And he knows that it's his job to be ready if Thornton can't play:

"I have to focus on being ready to play for this team. I have to look at it day to day. I'm coming to work. I'm coming to compete. I think I help him, and for sure he helps me."

A Franklin, Tenn., native and former star at South Carolina, Ring would like to make the Fire his long-term home. But he also wants to be a starting goalie.

"I think I'm there," he said. "I don't plan on being a backup.

"I would like to play in Chicago. [But] if an opportunity that I could not pass up came along, then it's time."